Living The Crazy Life Chapter 6
by LittleAnnie1
Summary: 6th chapter up! reviews of all types are appreciated. :D


**Hey Guys! I would love if you guys would tell me what I should do next in this story. REVIEW! Let me know what you think, be honest! Tell me what I could improve on... :) ENJOY! **

Lennox sat in her room. She clicked the internet tab on her laptop and waited for the slow internet to load. In Lennox's thinking, Mel and Joe were wrong; if two people love each other as much as they do, and she knew they did, they should be together. She has never been in love before; Aunt Mel always explained it as a 'wonderful feeling that you only get once in a life time'. She turned red with anger. Lennox knew that most of the time, Joe _was_ right, and he boasted about it. But for the first time in a while, he was wrong. Way wrong.  
Mel and Joe both knew that they were wrong; it's just that they wanted to tell themselves they were right. Mel wanted to be with Joe, and she wasn't gonna take it anymore. She got up and slammed her feet up to Joe's room. She knocked on the door and then abruptly let her self in. Joe stood up.  
"Mel? What do you-" She walked over to him.  
"You wanna know what I want?" She said loudly. "To know why we just can't be together!" Joe sighed and crossed his arms.  
"Burke, we went over this." Mel felt her eyes fill with tears. She loved Joe to much to yell at him.  
"I'm sorry." Her voice cracked. "I don't mean to yell. I want to be with you." Joe nodded and put his hand gently on her shoulder.  
"I..I love you...but-"  
"But what?!" Joe shrugged. He took her hand in his.  
"If you'll be quiet_ Mel_, we can stop being so stupid and just be together." Mel closed the space between them.  
"What do you mean we? You were the one who was being stupid." Mel said sarcastically.  
"Mel-" Before Joe could say anything, Mel cut him off with a kiss. He kissed her back; they both knew that this was the real thing. Joe released.  
"Are we sure about this?" Mel nodded.  
"Of course I am."  
OoO  
Mel, Joe, Ryder, and Lennox enetered the grocery store. It was the first time that they all went as a family; Mel abruptly sugested it, to Lennox and Ryder's disliking.  
"C'mon, Ryder. Let's go somewhere interesting." Said Lennox, dragging her brother forcefully.  
"Be back in 20 minutes!" Called Joe. Lennox turned around and nodded.  
"So, this is what you do all day?" Mel asked Joe. Joe nudged her playfully.  
"Not all day. I have to cook, clean,-"  
"Okay, Joe. I get it. I promise I will start helping out more. And so will Lennox and Ryder." Joe kissed her lightly and smiled.  
"Thanks, Burke. I apreciate it. " Mel and Joe walked over to the fresh vegtables and Mel grabbed a bag.  
"Hey, Mel," Joe pondered, "With us being a couple now," Mel turned towards him, realizing he was being serious, "maybe we should rethink my position in the household." Mel nodded and rubbed her chin inteligently.  
"I'm thinking that, too. We'll talk later."  
"Okay." Mel put vegatbles in a bag and shoved it against Joe's chest. He smiled and followed her willingly.

Lennox rumaged through the cereals that lay in front of her.  
"Damnit!" She yelled. "I can't find the freaking Fruit Loops!" She turned around to see Ryder swiping the screen on his IPhone.  
"Ryder? Are you even listening to me?" She exclaimed. Ryder looked up.  
"Oh, uh yeah. You can't find the Fruit Loops and are frustrated for your well being." He said. Lennox shrugged and nodded, and continued searching for her one favorite cereals.

OoO  
Mel plopped on her soft couch next to Joe. He put his arm around her and wondered.  
"Hey Mel, can I ask you something?"  
"What's the matter, Longo?" Joe glared over at her without a blink.  
"Now that we are a couple..."  
"Yeah..?"  
"Should we say 'I love you' like normal couples?"  
"No duh, Joe. Sorry I'm so crabby, I didn't get much sleep last night."  
"Why?" Mel's eyes began to well up with tears, and Joe looked over at her and saw the fear in her eyes.  
"Umm," She gazed up at him,"People are being laid of at the office; they are dropping like flies, Joe. I don't want to get laid off... I- the kids- we would never be able to live here. All the money we _have_ comes from my paychecks." Her voice cracked. Joe took her hand in his.  
"Don't worry, Mel. It'll all be fine." She smiled up at him, the love in her eyes began to reflect off her flushed cheeks.  
"Thank you. I love you."  
"Me, too."

*One week later*  
Mel couldn't believe this. Her mind went blank; how could this happen to her... to the office? The words of the employees reapeted in her mind. "I'm sorry Miss Burke, but the office must close down. We do not have enough employees and money to stay in office. We have to relocate." She felt the lump in her throat grow larger as the tears fell from her eyes and fell on her purple cotton blouse. How would she tell Joe.. or Lennox or Ryder? How could she drop a bomb on them that was so large.. so hard to take in..? The fact that they had to relocate to another home in another state was actually horrifiying to think about. Life was so perfect... Lennox and her brother were the happiest they had ever been, she and Joe had finally gotten together as a couple. They had only been a couple for 2 weeks, but to Mel- it felt like a lifetime. She sighed at the red light that was ahead. Traffic was getting to her. She didn't wan't to think about the new life that she would have to have... and she didn't want to think about how the two kids that she loved the most would react to such a burden. By the time she pulled into the driveway of her home, she realized therew was no way that she could get out of this- no matter how much she wanted to. She entered her house and threw her bags filled with the junk from her desk. She became angry now, more angry than she had ever been. Joe came rushing in from the kitchen. He was helping Ryder and Lennox with their homework.  
"Mel?" He said, concerned. "Are you okay..?" Mel was now crying tears of anger and fear.  
"Oh, Joe... I can't beleive this is happening!" She cried. She rushed to the kitchen and kicked the door open on the way.  
"What?! What's happening?!" He yelled and Lennox and Ryder jumped, there full attention on the two adults in front of them.  
"I was right, Joe! I knew this would happen! The office! They told me that I was being layed off and if I wanted my job we would have to move!" Lennox gapsed and her brother almost fell off the chair he was sitting on. Joe dropped the plate he was holding. He ignored what just happened and paced towrds Mel.  
"Are you serious?" Joe said, with more fear than intended. Once again, Mel was sobbing.  
"Yes! I can't believe this is happening! To me! To us! What the hell is wrong with those stupid people! Joe, what are we all going to do?" Joe took a few steps towards her, and hugged her tightly. She buried her face in his chest. Joe hated to see the woman he cared deeply for in pain. He disliked when Lennox and Ryder were sad, too, and by the looks on their faces, they were very depressed. Mel let go and looked up at Joe.  
"What are we going to do?" Joe looked over Mel's shoulder. He gave Lennox and Ryder a look and before he knew it they were out up into their rooms, trying to take in everything their Aunt Mel just told them. Joe looked at Mel with remorse.  
"Oh, Mel. Please sit down... please... it'll all be okay." Joe stated calmly. Mel sat down slowly, holding Joe's hand and pulling him down.  
"Joe, this can't be happening. It just can't. If we are forced to move to keep my job, I will feel _so_ guilty for taking the kids away from their friends, school, and more importantly their home. They just got taken out of one home with Louis and Meredith, they don't need to be taken away from this one." Mel explained, feeling very guilty.  
"I swear if I ever get the hands on the lowlife that fired you...I swear I will rip the guy into pieces." Mel lay a hand on his arm.  
"It's going to be fine." Mel said.  
"Why are you the one comforting me? I should be taking sure of you, making sure that everything in this house stays in order." He demanded. Mel kissed him on the lips softly, trying to console him. She lay a hand on his shoulder and looked into Joe's eyes.  
"We need to stop sulking and think of what I am going to do about the office and how I am going to fix this crappy mess." Mel sniffled. Joe swiped her face gently with his hand.  
"You do not need to do anything." Joe said. "It is not your fault about what happened." Mel smiled dryly at him. She loved that he was trying to make her feel better.  
"You know what makes me love you so much? You-being you. I love that you want to make me feel better when I am feeling totally crappy. I love that you are in my life." She sighed with insecurity. "I just want to keep it that way." Joe smiled at her with reassurance.  
"I'm not going anywhere." He said.  
*4 days later*  
Mel sat in bed watching anything she could find. On a Thursday, she would usually be at the office with Stephanie, doing bills and making sure Toledo was in order. Now, she hadn't even talked to Stephanie in almost a week and a half, and she was stuck home with Joe all day. Which wasn't so bad. Maybe.  
Almost every minute of the hour, he was snuggled up next to her. He held her hand and kissed her head like she was some nut job. But, no matter how much she was annoyed by him, she loved every minute of it. She loved him.  
"You know," Mel said to Joe, sitting up in her bed, "You don't have to be here with me all day. I do appreciate it, though. I've never had someone like you in my life who actually cared enough. Thanks." Joe smiled at her.  
"You are welcome, Burke. Now, if you need me, than you can call." With that, he left the room, leaving Mel. She sighed and called Stephanie. No answer. After leaving her many text messages, Mel slouched in her bed and flipped to the next channel. The commercial that was on during her favorite show just added to the disappointment soon to come.


End file.
